Heat-treating-furnace organization for metallic units



July 30, 1929. B N A 1,722,449

HEAT TREATING FURNACE ORGANIZATION FOR METALLIC UNITS Filed Nov. 26, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 July 30, 1929. NHA T 1,722,449

HEAT TREATING FURNACE ORGANIZATIQN FOR METALLIC UNITS Filed Nov. 26, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 g/roe 58 L 680 9 f garnfiarl Patented July 1929.

UNITED STATES GEORGE E. BARNHART, OF PASADENA, CALIFORNIA.

HEAT-TREATINGTFURNACE ORGANLZATION FOR METALLIC UNITS.

Application filed November 26, 1926. Serial No. 150,754.

Although my invention is entitled somewhatbroadly as pertinent to heat-treating means and methods, this invention relates more particularly to a simple and highly efficient furnace suitable for use in the heating of rods or tubes; acombination including such a furnace and a quench tank therebelow; and to methods wherein said furnace and said tank and auxiliary devices maybe advantageously employed.

Although my present invention is capable of use in the heat treatment of a great variety of metallic units, it is a particular object of my invention to provide means and methods suitable to use in the heat treatment of tapered or other tubular elements',such as may be employed in the construction of golf sticks, masts or other structural elements having a considerable length in proportion to the diameter thereof; and my invention is herein accordingly described. with reference more particularly to the heat treatment of such tubular elements.

Other objects of my invention (including means and methods of producing a substantially uniform and/or controlled high temperature within a substantially cylindrical furnace; means and methods favorable to V the establishment of uniform or varying temperatures in such furnaces; means and methods for predetermining the rate of .descent of treated units into and through quench tanks; means and methods for locally varying the efi'ectof a quench liquid upon the treated units) may be best appreciated from the following description of an illustrated embodiment of my invention, taken in connection with the appended claims and the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 may be referred to as, for the most part, a vertical section through an installation or apparatus embodying my inventi.on,various parts being shown in elevation and/or broken away.

Fig. 2 may be regarded as a separate top plan view of a furnace shown in the upper portion of Fig. 1. n

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section taken substantially as indicated by the lines 3--3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is an elevational view, showing, in vertical section,'a guard hereinafter referred to as suitable for use in protecting a portion of a unit, such as a golf-stick sha-ft, from any undesired or excessive chilling effect,

tioned.

Referring to the details of that specific embodiment of ,my invention chosen for purposes of illustration, I- show at 11 a substantially cylindrical furnace which is provided, near the bottom thereof, with a lateral opening 12 for the projection tangentially inward of a frame 13,-said furnace being provided also with means for the support, for a heating effect, of a plurality of golfstick shafts or other treated units 14.

The furnace 11 is shown as supported by a scaffold 15, including channel members 16 and a platform 17, above a quench tank 18; and the flame 13 is shown as projected by means comprising a burner 19, to which oil or gas may be admitted from a source of supply, such as a tank 20, by means of a valved pipe 21,air or steam being delivered to said burner and-tosaid flame respectively, by means such as separate valved pipes 22 and 23. The latter is shown as terminating in a separate nozzle 24, and air may be supplied thereto by means such as a pump or compressor 25, operated by a steam, electrical, or other motor 26.

Referring now to the more important and strictly novel features of the furnace 11, the platform '17 being preferably formed of a refractory material adapted to serve not only as a support for said furnace but to provide a bottom plate or end therefore, I show thesaid furnace as. comprising a banded cylindrical jacket 27, surrounding a cylindrical body formed of specially shaped fire bricks 28,outwardly and inwardly terminating in curved surfaces; and

I show the upper end of said furnace as provided not only with a tangential outlet 29, leading to a stack or flue 30 but also with a built-up top or cover 31. The latter may advantageously comprise two layers of recno I .ofa

chain or cord 48, shown as extending over tally slidable plate 38.

provided with any desired number of apertures, in a central part thereof, to permit the insertion and support of the units 14 and/or a pyrometer 34, or its equivalent.

The illustrated pyrometer being of a thermal-couple type, temperature readings may be taken on a near or remote scale such as is indicated at 35; and a desired rate of spiral circulation of the flame 13, to cause. the same to follow a path such as that indicated by the arrow-line 36, and to effect a com aratively uniform heating of all parts ll the units 14, may be aided not only by means such as a deflecting plate 37, preferably positioned opposite or near the inlet 12 but by damper means such as a horizon- The latter may be merely a loose brick, of rectangular or other suitable shape, movable by means such as a handle 39.

The plate 33, or a suitable part separable therefrom is provided with an aperture or plurality of apertures generally indicated by reference numeral 40 through which the respective units 14 may be supported bymeans such as Wires 41 which are diagrammati-' cally illustrated as being removably secured to posts'or pins 42. It is considered preferable to interpose a muflie 43 between the top plate 33 and the bottom platform 17, such a construction bein favorable to a uniformity of heating leEects and to an avoidance of oxidation. As an aid to initially heating the chamber enclosed by the Inufiie 43 and to maintain a uniform temperature therein with a minimum loss of heat, the central bottom opening 44, formedbelow the mufile '43 is illustrated as being provided with a closure element or door 45.

The bottom closure element on door 45 is shown as pivoted at 46 and as provided with an operating arm 47 in case the arm 47 is of such form and weight as to, overbalance said closure element, tended normally to hold the same closed, a withdrawal thereof may be effected by means such as a a pulley 49 and as terminating in a loop 49, ada ted to be held by a fixedhook 50.

A though the closure. 45 may be opened at any time, in order to vary the temperature within the muffle 43 or within a circular' or annularfexterior or flame chamber 51, in the event a mufile 43 is not used, it

will be understood that the opening of this closure is, in any event, intended to precede the dropping "of the units 14," (as by unhooking or clipping the wires 41 or by batch-release means such as are hereinafter mentioned) into the quench tank 18, or'its equivalent.

In order to permit the heated units to acquire any desired velocity of descent before entering a body 52 of water, oil or any preferred chemical confined within said tank,

the latter may be elevated or depressed to ,heating, any desired number of conical or other retarding elements of the general character shown at 54,- these being optionally perforated and adapted not only to obviate the necessity for using a very deep quench tank 18, by retarding the descent of the unit 14 therethrough, but also to assure a maximum heat exchange and consequent cooling effect, during the descent of the units through the quench liquid 52. By the use of the cones 54, I may reduce the height of a quench tank to about one-fourth of that otherwise required.

Together with or independently of the retarding cones 54, or their equivalent, in case a local annealing effect is desired, in order to avoid an unduly sudden or rapid chilling of certain parts of the units 14 or 14, I may apply, to a part or parts in which a toughening effect is desired, a guard or guards of the general character best illustrated at 55 in Figs. 1 and 4. .Each of these guards preferably comprises, an upwardly or a downwardly diminishing body 56-and a horizontal plate 57, said body and said plate being respectively provided with openings, as at 58 and at 59, suitably proportioned to fit closely upon the units 14 (or 14) and to render the same self-retaining in a desired position upon said units.

By means'of the general character just described, I may so quench a batch of the described units as to assure a suitable stillness and resiliency therein, incidentally effecting a toughening of a portion or portions of said units, as for the purpose of adapting the same to be drilled (in the case of golf-stick shafts) for the attachment of heads of any desired character thereto.

It will-be understood that the size of the retarding members 54 and/or the excluding members 55 may depend not only upon the rate of descent and the effects 'desired but only for-the indicated heat-treating and/or annealing effects but also, if desired, for carbonizing eflects,-as by the introduction of a carbonizinggas, such as ordinary illuminating gas or other suitable gas, through an addit onal pipe 60, or its equivalent; that the muflie 43 may be either included or omitted,the described. construction being such that the flame 13 is, in any event, dis-H Eosed to hug the outer wall 61 of the chamer or passage 51 and that the action of the described flame (where produced by the use of one or more jets, consuming either gas or oiloil being preferred and said jets being disposed either at the same level or at various levels) may be controlled not only by means such as the deflector I 37 and the damper 38, but also by a suitable regulation of a supply of air admitted through the nozzle 24, or its equivalent.

Except in the case of comparatively high or large-capacity furnaces, I consider it advantageous to employ but a single flame jet, of the described character; and I prefer ordinarily to use air, rather than steam, as an auxiliary fluid; and, in order to facilitate the simultaneous insertion and/or dropping of a batch of units 14, or 14:, into a furnace of the described character, I may render an apertured top closure plate or part 63, central of the plate 33, separately removable, securing the mentioned pins 42 thereto or therein in such manner that a considerable number of like or unlike units may be simultaneously lowered, together with the plate or part 63, into such a position as that illustrated in Fig. 1. If desired, the plate 63 may be of such restricted diameter that, upon the lateral withdrawal of supporting means such as a slidable bolt or bolts 64, (shown as manipulable by a cam ring 65 having a handle 66) this plate and the entire batch of units attached thereto may simultaneously drop into the quench tank, or its equivalent; and, in order that an entire batch or any number of units of the described character, or of any preferred character, may be conveniently withdrawn, I show the tank 18 as containing a wire basket or other foraminous receptacle 67. This basket, or its equivalent, is preferably of such diameter so as to fit somewhat loosely within the described tank; and it may be provided with any, preferred elevating or withdrawing means, such as mere cords 68, or other flexible elements, the illustrated flexible members being shown as extending over pulleys 69 and as provided with handles 7.0.

Although I have herein described asingle complete embodiment of my invention, it should be understood not only that various features of my invention might. be independently employed but also that numerous modifications thereof might be devised, by those skilled in the art to which this case relates, without the slightest departure from the spirit and scope of my invention, as the same is indicated above and in thefollowing claims.

For example, I may substitute for one or more of the perforated cones 54' an imperforate cone or cones 67.. These\ latter are suitable not only for a more pronounced retardative effect but for an annealing effect similar to that produced by guards of the general type shown in Fig, 4,--as might be desired for the purpose of adapting-a mast 14' to be subsequently tapped at 68'.

I claim as myinvention:

1. In a heat treating and quenching or iganization: an upright furnace; and means for suspending treated units therein; a

quench tank adapted to contain a liquid therebelow; means for releasing said units; and means mounted on sa1d unlts separate from sa1d suspending means for retarding the rate of descent of said units into said liquid.

2. A heat treating organization comprising: a quenching tank; a furnace; and

means for supporting said furnace vertically above sa1d quenching tank, sa1d furnace comprising a central treating chamber surrounded by a substantially vertical in ner wall and having a substantially uninterrupted passage therethrough in alignment with said quenching tank, top and bottom closure'members removably mounted in the ends of said treating chamber, a vertical external enclosing wall surrounding said inner wall and forming a substantially uninterrupted annular heating passage between said walls, said external wall being provided with lateral inlet and outlet openings in opposite ends thereof, end closures for said heating passage, means for projecting a flame into said heating passage and a deflecting plate within said hea ing chamber for guiding said flame through said heating passage to produce a substantially uniform temperature within said treating chamber.

3. A heat treating organization comprising:' a quenching tank; a furnace; and means for supporting said furnace vertical ly above said quenching tank, said furnace comprising a central treating chamber surrounded by a substantially vertical inner. wall and having a substantially uninterrupted passage therethrough in alignment with said quenching tank, top and bottom closure members removably mounted in the ends of said treating chamber, means for suspending articles to be treated from said top closure, a vertical external enclosing wall surrounding said inner wall and form ing a substantially uninterrupted annular heating passage between said walls, said external wall being provided with lateral inlet --and outlet openings in opposite ends thereof, end closures for said heating passage, means for projecting a flame into said heating chamber and a deflecting plate within said heating chamber for guidingsaid flame through said heating passage to pro-.

duce a substantially uniform. temperature within said treating chamber.

4. A heat treating organization comprisingi a quenching tank; a furnace; and

means for supporting said furnace verticallye above said quenching tank, said furnace comprising a central treating chamber surrounded by a substantially vertical inner ,wall and having a substantially unintersaid heating chamber and a deflecting plate within said heating chamber for guiding said flame through saidheating passage to produce a substantially uniform temperature within said treating chamber,

5. A heat treating organization comprising: a quenching tank; a furnace; and means for supporting said furnace vertically above said quenching tank, said furnace comprisng a central treating chamber surrounded by a substantially vertical inner wall and having a substantially uninterrupted passage therethrough in alignment with said quenching tank, a top cover plate, releasable means supporting said cover plate and adapted to permit the downward passage of said cover plate through said treating chamber, -.i a bottom closure pivotally mounted in said treating chamber, a vertical external enclosing wall surrounding said inner wall I I said flame through and forming a substantially uninter upted annular heating passage between said walls,-

said exten'nal wall being provided with lateral inlet and outlet openings in opposite ends thereof, end c osures for said heating passage, means for projecting a flame into sa d heating chamber anda deflecting plate wihin said heating chamber for guiding snidheating passage to produce a substantially 'form, temperature iwithmfsaid treating p "nber.

\ i '6, A tfftreat'ing organization comprisingrafl enching tank; a furnace; and means sesame for supporting said furnace vertically above said quenching tank, said furnace compris ing a central treating chamber surrounded by a substantially vertical inner wall and having a substantially uninterrupted passage therethrough in alignment with said quenching tank, a top cover plate provided with means for supporting treated articles, releasable means supporting said cover plate and adapted to permit the downward passage. of said cover plate through said treating chamber, a bottom closure pivotally mounted in said treating chamber, a vertical external enclosing wall surrounding said inner wall and forming a substantially uninterrupted annular heating passage between said walls, said external wall being provided with lateral inlet-and outlet openings in opposite ends thereof, end closures for said heating passage, means for projecting a flame into said heating chamber and a deflecting plate within said heating cham ber for projecting and guiding said .flame through said heating passage to produce a substantially uniform temperature within said treating chamber.

7 A heat treating organization (comprising: a quenching tank; a* furnace; and means for supporting said furnace vertically above said quenching tank, said furnace comprising a central treating chamber surrounded by a substantially vertical inner wall and having a substantially uninterrupted passage therethrough in alignment with said quenching tank, top and bottom closure members removabl mounted in the ends of'said treating cham er, a vertical external enclosing wall surrounding said inner wall and forming a substantially uninterrupted annular heating passage between said walls, said external wall being provided with lateral inlet and outlet openings in opposite ends thereof, end closures for said heating passage and meansfor projecting and guiding a flame through said heating passage to produce asubstantially uniform tempera ture Within said treating chamber, said last mentioned means including a "projecting burner and a tangential deflecting plate mounted in' said annular passage adjacent the inlet opening of said external wall.

' In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand at Los Angeles, California, this 17th day of, November, 1926.

GEoRe E BARNHART. 

